María Muñiz De Urquiza, Ana Gomes, Pino Arlacchi
on behalf of the S&D Group

European Parliament resolution on Iran and its nuclear program (2012/2512(RSP))

B7‑0019/2012

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Iran,

– having regard to Rule 110 of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas the EU foreign ministers have agreed additional restrictive measures against Iran in the energy sector, including a phased embargo of Iranian crude oil imports to the EU, in the financial sector, including against the Central Bank of Iran, in the transport sector as well as further export restrictions, notably on gold and on sensitive dual-use goods and technology, as well as additional designations of persons and entities, including several controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC);

B. whereas the adopted restrictive measures reflect serious and deepening concerns regarding "possible military dimensions to Iran's nuclear programme", as reflected in the latest IAEA report; whereas the recent start of operations of enrichment of uranium to a level of up to 20% in the facility in Fordow near Qom further aggravates concerns about possible military dimensions to Iran’s nuclear programme; whereas, however, the IAEA has not stated definitely that Iran has pursued nuclear weapons;

C. whereas the Council reaffirmed again its commitment to work for a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear issue in accordance with the dual-track approach;

D. whereas the Council reaffirmed that the objective of the EU remains to achieve a comprehensive and long-term settlement which would build international confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear programme, while respecting Iran’s legitimate rights to the peaceful uses of nuclear energy in conformity with the NPT;

E. whereas the lack of a meaningful dialogue between the West and Iran has led to a dangerous escalation of tensions in Persian Gulf region, including threats by Tehran's leadership to close the Strait of Hormuz, if the country's petroleum exports are blocked;

1. Supports the additional restrictive measures adopted by the Council against Iran in energy and financial sectors, as well as additional sanctions against persons and entities, including several controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC);

2. Calls upon the Council and the Commission to issue clear measures of warning to all private and public entities operating in Europe about the legal consequences to face if they attempt in any way to breach or circumvent the restrictive measures adopted against Iran;

3. Expresses its grave concern on the growing international tensions and the exchange of threats over Iran's nuclear program;

4. Deeply deplores Iran’s acceleration of enrichment activities in violation of six UNSC Resolutions and eleven IAEA Board resolutions, as reflected in the recent start of operations of enrichment of uranium to a level of up to 20% in the underground facility in Fordow near Qom;

5. Recalls that Iran is a member of the NPT and as such allows for inspections of its acknowledged nuclear installations by the IAEA; calls upon Iran to fully cooperate with the IAEA, including in the context of the planned visit by its Deputy Director General for Safeguards;

6. Stresses that a military confrontation has to be avoided and that a diplomatic solution to the nuclear crisis should be pursued by all means;

7. Reminds that the sanctions are not an end in themselves; recalls the commitment of the HR/VP Catherine Ashton and the Council to a dual-track strategy; strongly urges the E3+3 and Iran to return to the negotiating table and calls on the negotiators to forge a mutually accepted compromise to exchange Iran's low-enriched uranium in return for fuel for a medical research reactor;

8. Stresses that the humanitarian implications of the additional sanctions against Iran should be thoroughly evaluated and monitored; is concerned about their possible negative consequences for the general Iranian population, thus fuelling an opportunistic propaganda campaign by the Iranian Government;

9. Offers its full solidarity to all those Iranians bravely resisting gross human rights´ abuses by the Iranian authorities and calls on the HR/VP and the Council to find new and smart ways to convey concrete support to all human rights and democracy activists in Iran;

10. Is concerned about the wave of detentions of Iranian journalists and bloggers , particularly the cases of Parastoo Dokouhaki and Marzieh Rasouli, who are being reportedly kept in solitary cells at Tehran’s Evin prison; regards these actions as a clear attempt of the Iranian government to cut off the free flow of information by whatever means necessary in the run-up to the March 2012 Parliamentary Elections;

11. Condemns all acts of aggression, murder and provocation, such as the apparently concerted assassinations of Iranian nuclear scientists with the latest case of Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan, as well as the incarceration and sentence to death of foreign citizens by the Iranian security forces for the sake of increasing political pressure like the recent case of American citizen Amir Mirzaei Hekmati;

12. Urges the Iranian Parliament and government to ratify and implement the Additional Protocol and to fully implement the provisions of the Comprehensive Safeguard Agreement;

13. Believes that, in order to reduce tensions with Iran, relations with this country should not be limited to the nuclear issue alone; therefore calls for a sustained and persistent effort on behalf of the HR/VP and the Council to pursue a broader agenda that would include other issues, such as situation in Iraq and Afghanistan, regional security and human rights, and which could develop into broader cooperation once the nuclear question is duly settled;

14. Underlines that in countries against which the EU applies restrictive measures, an EU presence on the ground is particularly essential in order to ensure that the Member States, as well as EU Heads of Delegation are closely involved in the process of designing, targeting, implementing, monitoring and evaluating of restrictive measures and their consequences, minimising as much as possible the impact on the Iranian people; insists therefore that the EU should have a delegation in Tehran;

15. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the EU President, the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the UNSC, the Director-General of the IAEA, the governments and parliaments of the Mashreq countries, of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Israel, Palestine, Iraq, Turkey and the Government and Parliament of the Islamic Republic of Iran.